How Much Do Architects Make?
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Architects
Around twenty one percent of architects are self-employed. Licensing prerequisites consist of a specialized degree in architecture, a minimum of three years of practical experience and completing all sections of the Architect Registration Examination. Architecture graduate students might face competition, particularly for jobs within the most exclusive firms.
Within most States, architects need to maintain a professional degree in architecture from 1 of the 117 colleges of architecture which have got degree programs approved through the NAAB. But, State architectural boards established their unique requirements, so graduating through a non-accredited program could satisfy the academic prerequisite for licensing in a number of States.
The majority of architects acquire their professional degree via a 5-year Bachelor degree program, that is meant for college students with no prior architectural training. Other people acquire a master's degree once finishing a bachelor's degree in a different field or right after finishing a preprofessional architecture program. The master's degree for architecture may require one to five years to finish depending upon the level of prior training in architecture.
Virtually all States as well as the District of Columbia call for persons to be licensed prior to calling them selves architects as well as contract to offer architectural services. Between graduating and becoming licensed, architecture university students typically work within the industry underneath the guidance of a qualified architect who will take legal responsibility for all work. Licensing prerequisites consist of a professional degree in architecture, a period involving training or internship, along with a passing score for all sections of the Architect Registration Examination. The test is broken in to 9 sections composed of both multiple choice and / or graphical problems. The qualifications time period for completion of all sections of the test may differ by State.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment | Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 87,700 | $37.75 | $78,530 |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $20.61 | $26.27 | $34.88 | $44.72 | $57.45 |
| Annual Wage | $42,860 | $54,650 | $72,550 | $93,020 | $119,500 |
Industry profile for this occupation:
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 75,370 | $37.52 | $78,040 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 1,660 | $42.78 | $88,980 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 1,470 | $36.35 | $75,600 |
| State Government (OES Designation) | 1,290 | $35.82 | $74,500 |
| Residential Building Construction | 1,180 | $39.16 | $81,460 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 75,370 | $37.52 | $78,040 |
| Specialized Design Services | 650 | $42.84 | $89,100 |
| Nonresidential Building Construction | 1,470 | $36.35 | $75,600 |
| Residential Building Construction | 1,180 | $39.16 | $81,460 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 1,660 | $42.78 | $88,980 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Postal Service | 110 | $44.07 | $91,670 |
| Specialized Design Services | 650 | $42.84 | $89,100 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 1,660 | $42.78 | $88,980 |
| Activities Related to Real Estate | 140 | $41.52 | $86,350 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 60 | $40.95 | $85,170 |
Geographic profile for this occupation:
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State | Employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 10,170 | $43.76 | $91,010 |
| New York | 9,030 | $40.54 | $84,320 |
| Texas | 7,020 | $36.97 | $76,890 |
| Illinois | 4,440 | $36.67 | $76,270 |
| Florida | 4,330 | $37.88 | $78,780 |
Architects' fee structures are typically based on a percentage of construction value, as a rate per unit area of the proposed construction, hourly rates or a fixed lump sum fee. Combinations of these structures are also common. Fixed fees are usually based on a project's allocated construction cost and can range between 4 and 12% of new construction cost, for commercial and institutional projects, depending on a project's size and complexity. Residential projects range from 12 to 20%. Renovation projects typically command higher percentages, as high as 15-20%. How much do architects make depends on many factors.